Walnuts at Martineau Gardens August 29, 2018

Have you noticed this green fruit at Martineau Gardens yet?

Just coming into season, the young ‘wet’ walnuts are plumping up nicely. Resembling in looks, a perfect, smooth ‘green’ plum and a little larger than a lime, (the walnut is the wrinkled stone inside) we have had lots of interest from visitors asking what they are.

The smell is exquisite.

Martineau Gardens is always delighted to see Ben (left) from Simpsons’ restaurant on a ‘foraging expedition’. This week he brought his colleague Andrei (right) and they left with a crop of walnuts for pickling.

Here’s a recipe (credit: Richard Mabey, Food for Free, ed. Collins Gem 2004) which our Visitor Welcome Team volunteer Roxy has encouraged us to sample:

Walnut Pickle:

“Use green walnuts; they should be soft enough to pass a knitting needle or skewer through. Prick them lightly with a fork to allow the pickle to permeate the skin and leave them to stand in strong brine for about a week until they are quite black. Drain and wash them and let them dry for two or three days more. Pack them into jars and cover with hot pickling vinegard. Seal the jars and allow ro stand for at least a month before eating.”



Stick Man is coming August 22, 2018


Record result at the Summer Garden Party August 17, 2018

 

Mid-July saw the return of our Summer Fundraising Garden Party, organised by our chair of Trustees, Sue Roberts.   The gardens were looking beautiful on this marvellous evening, which brought guests together to enjoy an evening of food, wine and live music. Our charity auction was the highlight of the evening with Jeremy Thornton, of Biddle and Webb Auctioneers as our pro-bono auctioneer. Our musicians were ‘Wild Clover’, our caterers were ‘Food Fanatics’ and helping Majestic to serve the wine were members of the Calthorpe Residents Society who also helped so enthusiastically with clearing and washing up. Having just launched our new Corporate Sponsorship Scheme we were delighted to welcome our first corporate sponsors to the event, Nicholls Brimble Bhol and Dermoperfection, and also our event sponsors Bira and Quality Solicitors Davisons.

Below, a gallery of photos with thanks to Jonathan Middle for this super set.

Our thanks to all the individuals, organisations and businesses who have supported this event – we raised a record £13,650 for Martineau Gardens.

Photos following, credit SHD:

Guests enjoying the auction



Cricket – Visiting the Gardens during the Test Match August 3, 2018

Parking for Cricket Fans

Wednesday 1 to Sunday 5 August 2018 Cricket:  

Cricket is taking place at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, close to Martineau Gardens on between Wednesday 1 to Sunday 5 August 2018.  You can park your car in the Martineau Gardens car park (subject to availability) for a fee (please see signs on site), we have space for 24 cars.

Thank you for choosing to park here.

  • Your fee is helping to support a great cause and local charity.
  • Martineau Gardens is a registered charity and a therapeutic community garden. We run education and therapeutic horticulture projects in the Gardens. The Gardens are here for the people of Birmingham to enjoy peace and tranquillity.
  • To find out more about what happens here, visit this page

Your car is parked at your own risk. The gates will be locked or staffed, and staff will be on site throughout the match. If you wish to collect your car, before the end of the match, please phone 0121 440 7430 when you are outside the Gardens and we’ll unlock the gates.

At the end of play, the gates will be open for half an hour. Our staff will need to go home, so if you arrive later than this, you risk your car being locked in until 9.30am tomorrow morning, or an additional £15 charge.

Enjoy the cricket!

 Visitors to the Gardens

If you’re planning to visit Martineau Gardens on Friday or Saturday (we’re closed to the public on Sunday), the car park will be full – we’d love you to come and visit but please leave the car at home, (or arrange to be dropped off) and use public transport. Martineau Gardens is well served by buses. The nearest bus routes are  1, 45, 47, 61, 63, To plan your journey by public transport, visit  www.traveline.info  and use the postcode search – Martineau Gardens postcode is B5 7UG. Alternatively, arrive by bike and bring your bike down to our bike rack, close to the Pavilion.

Friday 3 Aug – due to a local power cut, we are unable to make hot drinks – but cold drinks are on offer, donations welcomed.

When you arrive, the gates will be locked, please phone the office on 0121 440 7430 and we will unlock the gates for you.

 



Summer Garden Party Auction Brochure July 10, 2018

Martineau Gardens Summer Garden Party and Charity Auction – Saturday 14th July 4pm til 8pm

Tickets £15 – advance purchase essential!

Food, wine, live music, charity auction and raffle

Enjoy the shady, floral, scented areas of our newly opened Courtyard Garden

It’s just a few days until the return of the Martineau Gardens Summer Garden Party and Charity Auction, taking place on Saturday 14th July 4pm til 8pm. In our 21st year as a Community Garden, this looks to be a bumper year for the event with great auction lots and raffle prizes.

Hot off the press, our Auction Brochure is available here – please enjoy a preview ahead of the party – just click on the brochure image.

For a sneak preview of what to look out for on the night, read the following, provided by our Chair of Trustees and event organiser, Sue Roberts:

“To whet your appetite, here’s a very special one day trip for two.  I have long hoped to have a luxury train trip in our auction and am delighted to be including it this year.

A trip for 2 to the RHS Tatton Flower Show on Friday, 20th July, aboard the Luxury Northern Belle train.  The Northern Belle is a private luxury train launched in 2000 after careful restoration by Venice-Simplon Orient Express. Your trip will include: 

    • Fine-dining
    • Delicious three-course brunch on the outward journey
    • Morning tea and coffee
    • Visit to the RHS Tatton Show, including coach transfers & admission
    • A complimentary RHS membership pack
    • Champagne reception back on board
    • Sumptuous five-course dinner: British seasonal table d’hôte menu including Great British cheese board, biscuits and chutneys
    • A bottle of wine per couple
    • Coffee, tea and petit fours

BIG PRINT:  These tickets have been offered at a 50% discount and the first £400 raised will go to the Northern Belle.  The trip will depart from Birmingham International at 10am arriving back at 9pm.  Time on train is 2.5 hours each way.”

With our recent publicity around our appearance on BBC Gardeners’ World last week, and the launch of  our Courtyard Garden supported by Jo Malone London, tickets are selling fast. Please do purchase tickets in advance (subject to availability), via the following ways:

How to book tickets:

compressed logo

Tickets are on sale!

Tickets cost £15, call into the Gardens in person to buy a ticket, or call 0121 440 7430 for card sales (Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm). You can also buy online via wegottickets.com (booking fee applies for on-line sales only.)  

For more information about the event, click here



Summer Holiday Family Activities July 9, 2018

Summer’s here! Come and join our family activity sessions taking place during the summer holidays  – ideal for finding out more about the wildlife at Martineau Gardens, the community garden in Edgbaston, near Birmingham. There will be plenty of fun and play along the way. We have some brand new activity sessions on our ‘Family Fun Fridays’ and are re-running some popular sessions on Tuesday mornings.

Choose from the following sessions; each session costs £5 per child (accompanying adults are free). Booking in advance is essential. Sessions are led by Juliette Green, our Education Officer.

 Family Fun Fridays (morning and afternoon sessions available)

  •  Medieval Day Friday 27 July: Make a sword and shield or a magic wand, build a mini ‘wattle and daub’ house, hunt for dragons in the woods, create forts and sandcastles in the play area. Costumes welcome!

 

  • Buzzy Bees Friday 10 August: A family activity session to learn about honeybees and bumblebees. Meet one of our beekeepers to find out about life in the hive, play pollination games, and learn more about how bees help us and what we can do to help them. You can also make a ‘wildflower bomb’ to take home so you can grow your own wildflowers to attract bees and other pollinating insects.

 

  • Senses Safari Friday 17 August: Engage your five senses! LOOK at the plants in our beautiful garden; LISTEN to musical instruments you can make from natural and recycled materials; SMELL and TASTE some of our herbs and vegetables; FEEL your way around the woodland as you play blindfold games and tickle your toes with a barefoot walk. (You may want to bring a towel to dry feet at the end!)

 

  • Dinosaur Discovery Friday 24 August: Make an explorer hat, then enter the woods to search for dinosaurs. Create a clay fossil, do an archaeological dig and finish with a dinosaur story. Bring along your own toy dinosaurs if you have them!

 

Other family activity sessions (taking place on Tuesday mornings)

 

  • Pirate Adventure! Tuesday 31 July: Go on a treasure hunt, make a boat to float on the pond, find some mini “monsters of the deep” (pond dipping) and make pirate bunting. Wear your best pirate costume!
  • Plant Professor Tuesday 7 August: Explore the woodland and garden, learn about different parts of plants and their jobs, taste some of our herbs and vegetables. Earn yourself a Plant Professor certificate!

 

  • Minibeast Safari Tuesday 14 August: Hunt for minibeasts in the woods, try a true or false trail, have a go at pond dipping and listen to a minibeast story. Come dressed as your favourite minibeast!

Click on your choice of session(s) below, to be redirected to wegottickets.com to purchase your ticket. (Please note, on the days when there is a morning and an afternoon session, these will be identical so just choose one of them.)

 

Medieval Day Fri 27 July 10am – 12pm   OR   Fri 27 July 1.30pm—3.30pm

 

Pirate Adventure Tues 31 July 10am – 12pm

 

Plant Professor Tues 7 August 10am – 12pm

 

Buzzy Bees Fri 10 August 10am – 12pm   OR   Fri 10 August 1.30pm—3.30pm

 

Minibeast Safari Tues 14 August 10am – 12pm

 

Senses Safari Fri 17 August 10am – 12pm   OR   Fri 17 August 1.30pm—3.30pm

 

Dinosaur Discovery Fri 24 August 10am – 12pm   OR   Fri 24 August 1.30pm—3.30pm

 

Here’s what you need to know:

This is a family learning event —activities are for supervised children aged 3—12 years. Parents/carers are expected to stay and join in but don’t pay, children’s tickets are £5 per head. Numbers are limited to 20 children per session – book in advance to avoid disappointment. 

 

Dress appropriately for the weather, since the session will take place outside.

 

Bring a drink and a snack, or bring your packed lunch if you’d like to have a picnic at Martineau Gardens (after the morning session or before the afternoon one).

 

Martineau Gardens serves hot and cold drinks (for which donations are welcomed) but not food. You can find out more about the Gardens here.

 

Tickets:

Tickets are on sale via wegottickets.com

 

£5 per child  (+ 50p booking fee)  advance booking essential wegottickets.com

 

To book, please select from the eleven sessions above (choosing a morning OR afternoon session) and you’ll be redirected to wegottickets.com to make your payment.

 



Launch of the Courtyard Garden July 2, 2018

 

Photocredit: www.bytombird.com

Tuesday 26 June 2018 saw the official opening of The Courtyard Garden created by Martineau Gardens Volunteers and supported by Jo Malone London. We were joined by Andy Street (CBE Mayor of the West Midlands) who along with Caroline Hutton (Retiring Director)  and Charlotte Nicholson (Jo Malone London) gave speeches before cutting the ribbon.

Guests included Martineau Gardens Volunteers, the Jo Malone London Team and press and influencers who enjoyed afternoon tea by Stones Events, a Jo Malone London pampering Hand & Arm Massage and tours around the new Courtyard Garden.

The Courtyard Garden is the seventh therapeutic garden Jo Malone London has supported across the UK, shining a light on mental health. The gardens are created by individuals suffering from mental health problem and use plants and gardening to improve mental wellbeing.

Find out more about the Courtyard Garden here.



We’re on TV tonight June 29, 2018


We’re delighted to announce that we will be on TV.

Tune in to BBC Gardeners’ World this evening, Friday 29 June, at 8pm, to find out more about their recent visit to Martineau Gardens. The programme will be on I-Player, a link to the episode will be published on our website on Monday.



Interview with Douglas Allenby June 28, 2018

Douglas Allenby designed the hard landscaping for the Courtyard Garden.
  • When did you first encounter Martineau Gardens? I came across it back in the 1980s when I was a student at Birmingham University studying Geography and loving anything and everything outdoors. I also remember the amazing post-Medieval ridge and furrow field pattern just to the north of the Gardens on what was the former Edgbaston Hockey Club land but is now part of the extended Priory Tennis Club. I also used to run / stagger past the Gardens and up the long Priory Road hill on a regular basis when I trained for a half marathon!
  • What is the appeal of Martineau Gardens for you? As part of my landscape architecture training I visited the site to see how you reached out to and involved the local community in a wide variety of imaginative ways and as someone who is married to a therapeutic counsellor we were both interested to learn how you used the staff, environment, and crafts/activities to engender a sense of peace and healing to those who might be struggling.  I love the fact that this centre is located right in the heart of the city within easy reach of so many people; it is a glorious green oasis. The staff are committed, knowledgeable, caring, friendly, and keen to reach out to the local community as well as bring them on board. It can be a fun learning experience for people of all ages and abilities. You can definitely get a ‘quart into a pint pot’- the site may not have a slick visual appearance but it is a deceptively complex series of spaces and habitats that have been cleverly and beautifully laid out on a small, linear plot of land.
  • How have you been involved with the Courtyard Garden Project? The scale and scope of the work involved? When Caroline approached me to design the courtyard garden, I was really excited as it seemed such a perfect fit for both organisations – the Gardens because it would entail the creation of some stunning scented external spaces, and Jo Malone London because the new gardens would look and be used in ways that match their ethos. Due to the age, years of constant usage, and anticipated increases in future user numbers the Pavilion and some of the surrounding landscaped areas within the central core of the Gardens were looking tired and in need of either replacement or repair. The complete refurbishment of the Pavilion means that it will be a major new draw to the site. Consequently, the surrounding courtyard area also needed a similar sensitively designed facelift to make it fit for C21st Key elements will include :-

*A new grass events area that can if necessary accommodate a marquee.

*An improved access drive, turning area, and delivery parking facility close to main offices.

*Greatly enhanced pedestrian and disability access provision both to the courtyard area as a whole as well as specifically to the ramped hot house and large greenhouse.

*A natural stone scree garden that replaces an aged formal raised alpine garden display.

*The replacement of a tired looking, rectangular pond and a stunning new water display that combines a smaller formal upper fish pond, via a stone rill, and a larger, more sinuous wildlife pond.

*Improved drainage to paths and planting beds to extend the visitor season and ensure that the soft landscape elements survive in the long term.

*Hard landscape features such as attractive timber archways at key locations within the garden area (complete with power and lighting supplies for garden day and evening events), new planters and containers, as well as botanical signage to help visitors learn / remember their ‘favourite’ species.

*The whole courtyard scheme will then be complimented by, and visually united with a scented planting scheme that has been devised by Emma Coleman. It will provide all year round interest both in terms of colour and texture, which in their turn will enhance those used in the hard landscape elements and surfaces.

  • What will bring to the space, and the people who volunteer and visit the gardens? I hope that it will help to breathe fresh life into the core part of the site; the new dynamic and practical spaces / features should give more enjoyment to a greater number of visitors without it feeling ‘too crowded’; the new features will tie in seamlessly with and help to improve the wider garden areas; and finally that everyone will be able to enjoy the scheme using all of their senses, whether stopping to relax or actively participating in a gardening task, training, or craft.
  • Has therapeutic horticulture this influenced your design? Nature and horticulture when combined with skilled and caring people can be extremely beneficial and healing to those who may be suffering from stress, or have physical or mental health issues. We have tried to create a range of accessible spaces with different characters (in terms of their size, layout, planting, textures, and surfacing) so that everyone should be able to find a ‘safe’ space for their own particular needs. It might be simply enjoying the fish swimming lazily in the top pond, the sound of the water gently tumbling down the rill, the sun glinting off the ripples in the bottom pond, the scent of the planting bringing back fond memories, or the soft touch of flower or leaf. By making the site an attractive setting where they can take part and learn about horticulture and wildlife conservation it will hopefully encourage visitors and volunteers to come back time and time again to enjoy the seasonal changes, take active exercise, and socialize in a friendly accepting environment.
  • What does coming to the gardens mean to you? That has a two-fold answer! Professionally, I am trying my best to ensure that the approved design is implemented correctly to a high standard that will not only look good at the official opening this summer but will stand the test of time. Personally, I love to see how the site changes through the year as well as the infectious enthusiasm and creativity that emanates from all the staff and volunteers that I meet.
  • What’s your favourite area within the Gardens? There are so many. I love the fruit and vegetable growing areas – hard work, fun, and skills can result in a rich harvest; exploring the site and stumbling across a surprising new view / quiet corner / plant that you had not noticed before; the play features as they inspire my ‘child’ imagination; and going inside the ‘exotic’ hot house.

I have really enjoyed the positive can-do attitude of the Garden staff, design team members, and contractors who have all collaborated well together to bring this Jo Malone London scheme to completion despite a limited budget and at times awful weather conditions.

June 2018



Closing early Tues 26 June June 25, 2018

Welcome to the Gardens … but please note, on Tues 26 June, we’re closing at 2.30pm for a Private Event.

Apologies for any disappointment, please come and see us again – back open on Wednesday, 10am.